Recluse

Thanks for the info! I assume the TPOD integration kludge is also why the LST code can't be set separately for the DMT?

In the F/A-18 (DCS anyway) it is possible to set two different Laser codes on the Litening pod, one for the DESIGNATOR and one for the Spot Search/Tracker. I've used this in the F/A-18 in multiplayer where a Wingman could laser designate a target with their code, then, once the target was spotted and locked, it could be prosecuted with my own Laser guided ordnance, while the Wingman was free to go attack another target. In the Harrier, we can only set a SINGLE code (and that code ends up getting set through the DMT!). In addition, we have TWO different LSS sensors, one as part of the DMT and one as part of the TPOD. Shouldn't it be possible to set them differently? Would be useful for different JTACS with different Codes to be able to set DMT and TPOD search codes differently, and useful to have a different LSS and Designation code so you could e.g. set your different Laser Guided Weapons to different codes on the ground. GBU for FAC targets, APKWS for ownship designation for example. This always bothered me as it is very handy to have a different code for your OWNSHIP designation vs. the Laser Spot Search. I realize that once you have found the laser spot, you can designate it, then change codes and use your own laser, if the FAC or other source can not continue designating) but that seems a bit too much switchology. Don't know if the single code in the Harrier is a real life limitation or a DCS/RAZBAM ism. Either way is fine, I'm just curious

Hmmmmmm... so what could it be for me? Another mod conflicting? I did try creating a brand new SCRIPTS folder and putting ONLY Scratchpad extensions in it. Just to be 100% clear: - Extensions version is "installed" (Scratchpad and Hooks folders/contents) - Desired Extensions are placed in the Scratchpad\Extensions folder - Scratchpad is invoked in game with Hotkey - Extensions (keyboard, etc.. are displayed. I'm not missing some additional step? ALL OTHER SCRATCHPAD FUNCTIONALITY WORKS FINE.

No not with extensions... I think @rwbishUP was late to the party and just finding out that the normal ScratchPad function of pulling coords off the map was broken in 2.8 Both versions were fixed for THAT..

Use either one of the links just above to 0.61 or the Experimental version, Both were updated to work with 2.8

Doesn't show anything related to extension processing: [13:38:23] Loading config file... [13:38:23] Configuration exists... [13:38:23] C:\Users\bobtu\Saved Games\DCS\Scratchpad\. [13:38:23] C:\Users\bobtu\Saved Games\DCS\Scratchpad\.. [13:38:23] C:\Users\bobtu\Saved Games\DCS\Scratchpad\0000.txt [13:38:23] found page C:\Users\bobtu\Saved Games\DCS\Scratchpad\0000.txt [13:38:23] Creating Scratchpad window hidden... [13:38:23] Crosshair window created [13:38:23] loading page C:\Users\bobtu\Saved Games\DCS\Scratchpad\0000.txt [13:38:23] saving page C:\Users\bobtu\Saved Games\DCS\Scratchpad\0000.txt [13:38:23] Scratchpad window created [13:39:22] saving page C:\Users\bobtu\Saved Games\DCS\Scratchpad\0000.txt [13:39:22] saving page C:\Users\bobtu\Saved Games\DCS\Scratchpad\0000.txt

That's what I am using.

Unfortunately still doesn't work for me. Maybe some competing Mod?? At one point I installed Open Kneeboard 0.3 and I have DICE installed. Wonder if that makes a difference? I had files from both of them in the HOOKS folder (but I did try removing them and only leaving ScratchPad related HOOK files. I just dropped in the new QWERTY Keyboard @icemaker just posted.. and I still don't see it I must be doing SOMETHING wrong. @Lange_666 did get it working, I think, by using the Extensions version vs. the 0.61 version. I still can't. Gonna try renaming my Scripts folder and creating a new one with JUST the ScratchPad extensions stuff. Stay tuned!

Except I did that...exactly.. and it doesn't work for me. Neither the keypad.lua from the download nor the QWERTYKEYBOARD.lua Just re-downloaded it, removed the other Scratchpad/Hooks folders installed again and tried again No joy with either of the extensions. I also wiped the config.lua and allowed it to be re-created. LOL.. we always want what we can't have. I was perfectly happy with the normal ScratchPad functionality, and then ScratchPadPlus added another step forward. Now I am pursuing the next shiny object!

I do have that file as well. I thought it must get generated when Scratchpad is first run taking the config values from the other Lua files. Odd that when I swapped out the Scratchpad-Hook.Lua file when I updated from ScratchPad to the Extensions version, it took the Hotkey from the Hook.lua file as I needed to use the default, vs. taking it from the Config file that would have been there already with my edited Hotkey, which I would have expected since that is the one YOU are editing so it must be persistent.

Huh.. i never knew that existed!! Don't think it makes a difference, though as the first time I installed it, I didn't change the Hotkey and the Keyboard still didn't come up for me.

So the Hotkey changed in ScratchPadPLUS but the latest ScratchPad is still C+S+x. You can change it to whatever you want with a simple lua edit: Scratchpad-hook.lua, or ScratchPadPlus.lua (Note I changed mine to just Shift+x below) You can find this block easily by just searching for hotkey or shift.

Same here.. Originally I removed everything except the Extension version, but after seeing @imackenhad BOTH Scratchpad and ScratchpadPlus installed, I went back and did that. Still no joy on Extensions. Both applications work fine for pulling coords and ScratchPadPlus has the PLUS additions, but NO KEYBOARD/KEYPAD when put in the Extensions folder. I also have a few other files in HOOKS for other mods, but I also tried it after clearing them all out and leaving only Scratchpad related HOOKS. Also on latest Windows 10 Pro. In fact I got a Windows update last night. Odd! My file Dates/sizes match. Time is a bit off but that could be Time zones, or maybe reflecting when they were copied into the folder. Downloaded both the Extensions version and the PLUS from the links in this thread.

My recollection and understanding is similar to yours. The Keyboard was somehow incompatible with pulling the coordinates automatically from the F10 map, so it went away in favor of that feature, and lately returned with the extensions Work in Progress. I still have one of the old versions WITH the keyboard (don't know if it works with 2.8 or not) which I would occasionally trot out for VR note taking. Would be great to have the best of both worlds.

i have been trying on monitor only, but I just tested in VR. Same. Scratchpad with extensions works but no keyboard comes up. What do you mean by ScratchPadPlus? The latest non-extensions version? That worked fine for me in 2d but I didn't try in VR. Never mind!! I found the link to ScratchpadPLUS.. Trying it now. ScratchPadPlus comes up for me in VR. (no keyboard, though) @imackenDo you know that the default hotkey for PLUS is CTRL+SHIFT+w rather than x for the OG scratchpad? Maybe that is why it doesn't come up for you/ EDIT: In VR, for ScratchPadPLUS, I cannot click the INSERT button in VR from the Cockpit view, but I can in the F10 Map. Going to try it in the F/A-18 in monitor view. It would be great to automatically create waypoints!! : IT WORKS!!!! EDIT 2: I manage to click the INSERT button in the Cockpit. Had to click around a bit to get the white dot instead of the green mouse cursor, similar to what happens occasionally with the kneeboard. From the README, WP's are populated in the F/A-18 starting with WP 2, but this means also that if you set your HSI to a later WP (say 1-4 are used and you set to WP5) it will still populate 2 WP's ahead. So if you start at the unused 5, your new WP will be 7. If you insert MULTIPLE WP's it seems like it still skips one, and populates every other one, but I need to mess with it some more.

I guess I was Lucky-ish. I have seen ABOUT a 10-15% reduction in framerate (I7-7700K, RTX 3070, Quest 2) in VR, but I also think the Quality has declined slightly. That could be my imagination. Used to sustain 40 fps with my settings now I am bouncing around 33-36, though I hit 45 at times over featureless terrain or pointing at a clear sky. Still playable, we need all the VR help we can get to squeeze out the performance.

I wouldn't say it is pointless in VR. It works GREAT in VR to pull off coordinates directly from the map. (Broke in 2.8 but fixed now). This satisfies 99% of the use I make of it in VR. - Pull coords off of F10, go to cockpit and transcribe to WP's or Targets. - The other 1%, for jotting down other information, or coordinates provided by JTACS or other Players is a PLUS, and if I can have it, I want it but I wouldn't say it is Pointless without it. Apparently 9 lines are now in the Kneeboard (I haven't tried this out yet) so that is one more thing that we can do without the keyboard, but I am perplexed as to why it works for some and not me, or should I say US @Lange_666

Yep..well everything from SCRIPTS. I didn't copy LICENSE or README: The other scratchpad functions work fine, just the keyboard/keypad not showing up. Also tried Speed of Heats Qwertykeyboard.lua. Still nothing. nullnull

So I downloaded the latest EXTENSIONS version, and I tried both: -copying the Keypad.lua from the EXTENSIONS/DISABLED folder up to the EXTENSIONS Folder. - Also tried copying the QWERTYKEYBOARD.LUA above into Extensions. When I invoke Scratchpad, I don't see either Keypad/Keyboard (one at a time) What am I doing wrong?

YES the box slews up and down with radar elevation changes. I have to say, last night I used it extensively and I didn't notice this issue. It seemed that targets within the AZ/EL box were also in constraints for the radar. SEEMS to be working for me pretty consistently, but I can't say 100% that the original Post situation might not happen.

THANK YOU!!!!! Appreciate the quick fix!

Hey, it looks like today's 2.8 Open Beta update broke Scratchpad! The Scratchpad window still comes up and can be typed into, but it will no longer pull the coordinates off the map Any chance of a fix?? My little group of Multiplayers relied on it heavily. Thanks!!

I am curious about this as well and the diagram above very clearly illustrates my confusion. I would expect that the target below the cone would NOT show up in the AZ/EL constraints, but it clearly DOES, yet it cannot be locked up as it is outside the scan range. I would expect from all the tutorials I have watched (and perhaps WRONGLY) that a datalinked contact within the yellow box of the AZ/EL page SHOULD be within constraints to be locked up by your radar. Now it is clear that it DOES also depend on PRF/Distance/Aspect which could preclude a lock, but I wouldn't have expected the target shown by OP to be shown within the AZ/EL constraints.

The Litening Pod ("old FLIR") also has a TV mode, but it is called "CCD". I typically prefer the LITENING pod use and symbology, so I have not compared "TV" modes between the two.

Agreed that the Data Cartridge is a big thing we are missing, but I am sure once they implement it, there will be lots of complaints about not being able to change things in flight (including LASER CODES on weapons). In the Harrier and the A-10C, there is a CAS system by which the JTAC can automatically send the coordinates to the aircraft, so no data entry required! I imagine in "REAL LIFE" the JTAC/AFAC needs some specialized equipment/radio for this, but maybe on the Modern Battlefield this is standard compared to the old days where maps, talk and smoke were the only options. I think there are some current MODS that try to emulate the DATA CARTRIDGE for WP imports. Kind of works like Scratchpad but goes one step further and creates the WP too. Here is one (I downloaded it but haven't tried it. It uses the PRECISE setting, with coordinates DDMM.mmmm, so it it should be good for TOO targeting. Once the WP's are placed, you can swap over to the DD.MM.SS.ss system. https://github.com/aronCiucu/DCSTheWay There was another one somewhere that I remember which used a Web Site to load WP's and coordinates, but I cannot find it at the moment. EDIT: THE WAY doesn't seem to work in VR. That is probably why I abandoned it. Works well in PANCAKE mode.. EDIT2: I cannot even make it work reliably in PANCAKE mode. Worked once, but not since. EDIT3: It seems to be a function of FRAME RATE. At very high frame rates, THE WAY doesn't work well. Oddly enough, since the FRAME RATES are drastically lower in VR, I can get it to work in VR, but I have to raise the helmet and do the operation on the Screen since THE WAY interface is not visible in VR. Pretty klunky ScratchPad method may be better for VR after all until someone can come up with a WAY in VR.